David forrest



A uitrh gisten @anni @fitta DAVIDY FORRESTQOF EAST-PORT, MAINE, ASSIGNO'R TO1HIMSELF, P. M.` KEANE, AND D.` N. CLARK, OF THE SAME-PLAGE.

Letters Patent No. 71,375, dated November 26,1867.

u IMPRQVBMENT IN GAS-METERS.-

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY GONCERN: l

B e it known that I, DAVID FOItREST, of Eastpcrt, in the county of Washington, and State of Maine, `have invented a new and. useful Improvement in Gas-Meters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,` clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings'forming part of this speeirication.

p This invention relates to a new 'and improved method ofconstructing gas-meters, whereby the quantity of,

l gas which passes through the meter is accurately measured and recorded; and thelinvention consists in"rotatng a gas-wheel, containing chambers, by clockwork, which is moved by a spring, andin `controlling the actionof thesaid gas-wheel by the pressurehf the gas upon elastic spring disks, as will behereinafter described..

Figure 1 represents a vertical section of the meter taken through the line y y of iig. 2, showing thesame with the,door andlclock-work thrown back, and the chambered gas-wheel exposed.

Figure 2 is a cross-section of iig. 1 through the line :o x, showing the manner in which the gas is introduced t into the wheel and discharged therefrom, and the springs b'y which the motionot'thewheel is governed.

Similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts.

A represents the gas-wheel. B is the tube upon which the wheel revolves, the interior of which is in communication with' the chamber of the wheel. C is the pipe through which the gas is introduced, which pipe is attached to one end of the tube B. Dis the pipe through which the gas is discharged, andwhich sattach'ed i to the other end of the tube B. E represents the case or shell, within which the wheel revolves: Fis the door to the case, to which is attached the clock-work which imparts motion to the wheel. The gas-wheel is` divided into four compartments or chambers (which are marked G) by partitions a, which radiate from thecentre or tube B. The -tube B is divided into two parts by a longitudinal partitomas seen in the drawing at d. One part is connected at one end of the tube with the supply-pipe C, and the other part is connected at the other; end of the tube with the discharge-pipe D. Both of these parts d, as well4 as each of thechambers G ofthe wheel, have apertures, through which the gas passes, as seen in the drawing at e. Theseapertures in the tube l and wheel ar narrow slits, and as the wheel revolves around the tube, and the apertures register orcorrespond; with each other, gas is -entering through one part of the tube and being discharged through the other, as seen by the arrows in the drawing. Y

` The manner in which the gas-wheel is governed by the pressure o'f the gas (notwithstandig the action of, the clock-work upon it) is as follows: Through the periphery of the wheel there is an orifice for each chamber, which orifice is covered (gastight)'by :1n/elastic disk, g. 7i is a metallic spring, one end of which isattuched` to the wheel; the other end bears upon the elastic disk with aconstant pressure. When one chamberofpthe l wheel is filled with gas, its pressure will expand or force out the iiexible disk and springg h, and the revolving wheel will be stopped by the catch J, which is attached to the case. When in this position, the chamber which l is under the spring which thus stops the wheel is in communication with the exhaust or discharge-pipe D, and` the clockcworkis stopped. If the ges is burning, the pressure will soon be relaxed by the dischargesuiciently [l to allow the wheel to start again, and turn until another full chamber is brought into the sameposition. While one chamber is being exhausted by the burner another chamber is being filled again, andthe clock-work is allowed to revolve the wheel only when the pressure is removed by the consumption of the gas.` When the gas l is not burning, the gas-wheel will offcourse stand still. z'is a cog-wheel, which is attached to the side of the` gas-wheel. When the door F, with the clock-work, is closed, this wheel engages with the `wheel lm on thejdoor, and motion is imparted to the gas-'wheel thereby, when the pressure of the gas allows of such movement.` Thee clock-work is actuated by a coil spring, which is attached to the arbor '1t of the'w'heel o, and to a. stud, p, on the frame of the clock-work. R is a disk, which secures the spring in place. To prevent back motion, there` is a ratchet-wheel, S, on the arbor n, and a spring-pawl, t, on the wheel o, as.seen in dotted` lines through the` v disk It. p

,l 1 The arrangement of wheels for giving the proper motion to the index-iingers, or for registering the amount l of' gas consumed, docs not necessarily differ from that in ordinary use. The gas is registered on the outside of the door, in figures numbering from (10) ten to ten thousand, (10,000,) in the usual mannen I use a spring,

which can act on the ,registeringwheels only u'hen thezpressure of gas allows the gas-wheel to move. By this n arrangement I overcome all back pressure in the How of gas,`so that none can escape except through the burner,

whereas in the meters in common use the' pressure of the gas must turn the Wheels, thereby causing hack pressure, and allowing the escape of more or less gas, which is unrecorded.

The clock-work in my meter is wound up Wit-h a key, the same as a time-piece, and itrmay be arranged to run a week or more. The meter is made of suitable size, and of 'proper materials in all its parts, and the \\'ork ing parts areadjusted and kept gas-tight by any suitable mechanical means.

Having tlius described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The central tube B, andthe gas-wheel A, constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described.

2. I claim the elastic disk g, and the spring h, ou the periphery of the gas-wheel, and in combination therel with the catch J, substantially as and forthe purpos set forth.

3. .I claim revolving the gas-wheel A, and registering or recording the amount of gas consumed, by the action of a spring' operating suitable gearugfor that purpose, substantially as herein shown and described.

DAVID EORREST.

Witnesses: Y

R. B. CLARK, J. F. MATBEWS. 

